Door-operating mechanism for dump-cars.



e. A. LINDSTROM.

DOOR OPERATING mEcHANIsM FOB DUMP CARS. APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 27, 1910.

Patented Sept. .12, 1911.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

u oonoo ooooo Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

5 BHBBTS-GHEBT 2.

w 3 0 \x: i

c. A., LINDSTRD'M. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP GABS.

, APPLICATION FILED D20. 27, 1910. 1,002,856.

01A. LINDSTRUM. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS.

APPLIUATION FILED DEC. 27, 1910. 1,002,856. Pat nted Sept. 12,1911.

5 snnnrwnsm a.

W t H n 1 m h 2/ w a J 3 1-1!- fi I}... 1.1 mm t T 1 Q -J N m w W I3 MN. QMN N s3 f L! \N 3 ww a 3% E N AN M 3 N Patented Sept. 12,1911.

5 sanms snnnr 4.

mud U o o o o o o 0.. A. L1ND STRUM. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS.

APPLICATION IILBD DEC. 27, 1910. 1,002,856.

sTRb'M. GHANISM P0 0. A. LIND DOOR OPERATING ME {5 DUMP CARS.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

APPLICATION FILED DEC, 27,

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

I May,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFXEE ba smen. Lmnsrnoiir, or rirrszenne, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB. IO rnnssnn sTEELcAn COMPANY, or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A conronarron on NEW JERSEY.

DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DUMP-CARS.

Specification of Letters Tatenc, I Patented Sept. 12, 191.1

Application filed December 27, 1910. Serial No. 599,507.

; To all 'whom it may concern:

through the central portion of the car bot tom, such as thatdescribed in my pending application for United States Patent, Serial Xo. 536,479, filed January 5th, 1910, I

A specific object of the prcsent invent on is to provide a dump door mechanism which is speedy, etlicient, simple, strong. and nexpensive as well as easy and safe to operate.

Shire-ore has a greater tendency to arch or bridge above the discharge opening in the bottom of the car than most other classes ot'lading, is essential and practice has dicitcd that the opening in the bottom of the .:a r he: made as large as possible, and that the usual (icnlcr sills and longitudinal and cross concsho dispensed with in order to grain such large unobstructed opening. .lfiurthern'iorc, the length and distances between the pockets in the ore docks, where these cars are unloaded, having been fixed for years to correspond with the location of the hatches in the ore ships, has had the clfcct of limiting the modcrn orecar of "greater capacity to the same length as the oldcr orccars of lighter capacity. The result of this increase in the size of the discharge H])(Hlll; .lll1(l maintcuancc of the old length o l car has been to increase the slope of the bottom shoots to such an extent as to throw h very great, proportion of the entire weight of tho hiding on the drop' doors at the dis charge opening oli'lhc car, and since ore 'is llv l'ar heavier than any of the olhcr classes of duuipahle material or ladiufu; it is highly csscutialrthat a door operatingincchanlsmho provided having great strength; which Vlll lock automatically and securely and have iioftcudciic v tooperate from the jars of transit; which will, when started, operate -1y= U independently of theoperating lever, which will be free from the usual chains supporting the doors, thus insuring safety to the operator; and which is ,so simple that it will be inexpensive and notget out of order when subjected to great strains, and may he successfully and economically operated by unskilled labor, either by hand alone or by either hand or air power when such combination 1s required.

A mechanism having all of the above fca-..

tures and advantages is herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to llke parts, and in which Figure 1 is a general side elevation of an ore car provided with the improved Inecha'- ,DISIU; Fig.2 15 a plan view of the same,

portionsof the sloping floor sheets being broken. away to more clearly show the mechanism, 3 is {a sectional endeleva tion of the car showing an end view offthe mechanism; Fig. 4, is a half longitudinal sectional elevation of the car through one of the door operating cranks; 1 1g, 5 IS an enlarged detail section through one of the door o 'ierating cranks-and one of the safety clutches and showing a portion of one of the crank operating shafts; Fig. 6 is a view of the trunnion, clutch member and shaft,

inn removed, looking toward the right hand in Fig.5. v i v Referring now in detail to the drawings,

1 represents the car body which isv-shaped "with the crank, draft sill and trunnion bears in longitudinal section by reason of'its heing' provided with floor sheets slopingdownwardly to the discharge opening of the car. The two lower edges of thosloping floor shoots and the two sides of the car, which sides are bent inu'ardly ttheir lower portions define the central discharge opening in the car bottom. The two lowcredgcs of the sloping floor sheets are angularin form, with their aplccs at-thc transverse center of the car and projecting toward each other.

at the longitudinal center line of the car, so that thc'di nharge opening is narrowest at the longitudinal center, line of the. car. This particular shape of discharge opening is the natural result of the necessity of obtainiug the largest possible door opening, and the use of doors to closc said opening of such shape that they will not in their operation come in contact with the car wheels the location-of which is standard.

' 1 The car comprises body 1, side sills 2,

draft sills?) and bolsters 1. The central discharge opening is closed by doors 5, which doors 5, are hinged at 6 to the lower portion of the member 6 which supports the sloping portion of the side sheets, the free edges of the doors meeting in a line extending longitudinally at the transverse centerof the car. The underframe of the car may be of any suitable construction provided no portion of it projects into or through the central discharge opening of the car. As shown in the drawings, draft sills are provided, which sills extend only from the ends of the car to the sloping floor sheet and do not extend side of the door. .Beams 7 are connected through the medium of universally jointed turnbuckle links 8, at eachend to a yoke 9, pivoted in a crank frame 10, similar to'the crank frame shown in my pending application for U. S. Patent Serial No. 243,703, the crank frame 10 being located between the draft sills 3. That is to say, there is a pair of turnbuckleliriksSat each side of the drop doors, each of said links 8 being connected at one end to the end of its respective beam 7 and its other end being brought together with the corresponding end of the adjacent ink and pivotally mounted in the yoke 9. There are, therefore, a pair of crank frames 10, a pair of yokes9 and four links 8. Crank frames 10 face oppositely, or are oppositely disposed. Each of the crank frames 10 consists of a pair of crank arms 10 10, counected, through the medium of a web 10' of the crank frame 10 which is angular in shape for the purpose of strength and to provide for clearance of the sloping floor sheet. Each of the crank frames 10 is journaled, as later described, in the draft sills 3 in such a position that when the drop doors 5 are closed the turnbuckle links 8 and the yoke 9 are at the dead center of the crank frame 10, or slightly beyond the same toward the sloping floor sheet, so that the load strain on the doors 5 tends to force crank frame 10 in the closing direction and thus the doors 5 are automatically locked The underframe further comprises as against opening from jars or shocks during transit. It will be noted from Fig. 2 that crank frames 10 are oppositely disposed so that through the medium of the yokes 9 and the links 8 they oppose each other, which arrangement is a further safeguard against accidental opening of the doors during transit.

Crank frames 10 are journaled on trunnions 10 and 13, each of the trunnions 13",

being also one of the members of the safety clutch hereinafter referred to. Trunnions 10 form a bearing for crank arm 10 and are provided with an annular enlargement to form a bearing against the crank arm 10', also an enlarged cylindrical outer bearing portion which projects through a perforation in the draft sills 3. Trunnions- 10 are further provided with a flange 10 which is secured to the outer face of the draft sills 3., Trunnions 10 are shown in the drawings as being hollow to save wei ht and material. Trunnions l3 are provi ed with squared inner ends which engage squared perforations in the crank arms 10". Trunnions 13 are also provided with an enlarged cylindrical outer bearing portion journaled 1n trunnion castings 13, which are secured to the outer face of thedraft sills 3. Trunnion castings 13 are also rovided with an annu lar boss projecting t rough the draft sill 3 and forming an annular bearing against the crank arm 10. The bearing portion of the trunnions l3 being larger than the squared inner portion, it is impossible to force the trunnions 13 entirely through the crank arms 10, so that the trunnions 13 must be removed, in disassembling'the parts, from the crank arms 10 toward the outside of the car.

For operating the crank frames 10, shafts 11 are provided, which are secured in the 1 outer halves of the clutches 13, by means of cotters. The shafts 11 extend transversely from the clutches to the sides of the car, and are supported at their outer ends by suitable bearings. Near tov the outer ends of the shaftsll, segments of gears are secured thereto, connected 'with rack operating mechanism hereinafter described.

Safety clutches are introduced for the purpose of permit 'ing the dropping of the lading quickly witl out danger to the operator. Each of the clutch members in clutch 13, is provided wit-h projecting lugs, such lugs being in the same rotary plane so that the lug in one clutch member when rotating will strike the lug-. n the .ther clutch and transmit motion to the other clutch member and, conversely, either clutch member is capable of a limited non-transmitting movement relative to the other. These clutches are of the same general character as described in my United States Letters Patent Nos. 865,714, 865,920 and 865,921. It will able rooaeee he noted that crank frame 10, in dropping the doors 5, will make about one-half revolution, and this being the case, because of the interposition of the clutches 13, such movement will not be transmitted to the crank shaft 11, and hence will be independent of shaft 11. and the balance of the operating mechanism.

it is necessary or advisable that the two crank frames 10 operatesimultaneously to prevent ,nndne strain. on. either'side of a door due to one crank frame operating before the other, also that the two crank frames move away from the-sloping floors when the doors are being opened and toward the floors when the doors are being closed, which enables the placing of the crank frames closer to the floors and secure straight connections to the beams 7; further, as the load on the doorsis naturally great, onacconnt of the size of the doors as well the nature of the hiding, a power increas ing device is necessary. For this purpose the two shafts 11 are i'mcratimly connected to a common operating shaft 14, preferably extending trans e ely of the car and jouraled in bearings, 1:), l6, l7. Shaft l4 is connected to one of the shafts 11 through the medinin of a pinion wheel-18 secured on shaft 1%, meshing with a segment gear 19 onshaft 11 such segment gear PTOJQCl/Hig npwardly through a slot in side sill 2, and shaft l t being located above the horizontal plane of the upper surfaces ofv the side and draft sills. The operating shaftlet is connected to the other shaft 11, by means of a segment gear 199011 shaft 11, a pinion 18 on shaft 14 and toothed racks 20 meshing with and operatively connecting said segment gear 19 and pinion 18 lhe toothed rocks 20, are shown in the drawings as being formed of two castino s adjnstably connected together endwise to form in etfect one continuous rack member in which the distance between the toothed racks may be each other; and further that these members may be built up of toothed rack segments secured to one or more lengths or any suit- :ast, rolled or pressed section. The

- rack members are shown in the d 'awings,

Figs. 1' and 2, as being composed of 2 lengths connected together endwisc, for the reason that'short members of this type are more easily mannfiu-tnred than long ones, and also for the reason that such construction provides a means of adjustment of the effective length of the racks, which is some times found necessary in the initial adjust mont of the complete door gear, and also for adjustment of the door gear during the life of the car, dne "towcar of the con'l 'ionent parts of the door gear, The racks 20 are supported in aperative position by means of &

brackets 21, 22, and 17, projections being provided onthe inner sides of the vertical portion of the sides of the brackets, on

which slide the sideextensions of the racks,

extending beyond the ends of the teeth. The racks 20 are also retained in such a p0sition that the teeth shall be in meshwith the teeth of the pinion 18 and segment gearlS' by means of rollers, 23, which contact with the upper sides of the rack members, and are held in position by pins passed through upward extensions of the brackets 21, 22, and 17. i

For the purpose of holding the shaft it I ll against movement when the mechanism not belng operated, a ratchet wheelflet" is provided which is mounted on shaft 14 ad ace'ntthe casting 16 and adapted to be em gagged by pawl pivotally monnted on the casting l6 and weighted and balanced so that it engages thennder side of the ratchet wheel 24. P, W1 25 15 adapted to be engaged by the cranked portion of a cranked rodfib, T he rod '26 extends to both sides of the car,

and may be ope 'ated from either side of the car oy means of the cranked ends which are provided. v i f All of the-parts of the mechanism having been described, the operation ofsame maybe briefly described as follows: Assiiming/the doors to be closed and the car loaded with ore with the parts in position shown in'lfigs. 1, 2,3, and st, the operator grasps the rod 26, by one of its cranked handles and through its operation throws the pawl 25mm of engagement with the ratchet wheel 2&3: A crank is then applied to the end of shaft Lt, which is then operated in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 1 and 4. This results in tnrning one of the shafts 11 in, the" direction, and the other of the shafts'll', e; the shaft geared directly to shaft 14, in an opposite direction to the direction of rota tion of shaft 14. As shafts 11 rotate the logs on their clutch members strike the logs on the clutch members'which turn withthe crank frame 10, whereupon crank frames 10 are turned and the links 8, yokes 9,"and crank frames l0 immediately run away from shafts 11 for about half a revolution as" a l ready describet'i. To close the doors these movements are reversed."

Having thus described my invention, the following), is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1 In a dump car, the combination with pair of drop doors, of a pair of cranksliav in}: c ent increment in opposite dircc tionsaiid v h connected to each door, and a rack and gear means for operating said cranks. l

2. In a dump car, a pair'of drop doors, having meeting edges at the longitudinal center line of the car, a' pairof' cran'ltsalso located at the longitudinal center liue of the site directions, links extending from the sidesof said doors near their meeting edges to said cranks, and a rack and gear mechanism for operating said cranks.

3. In a dump car, thecombination with a pair of drop doors, of a pair of cranks having opening movement in opposite directions and each connected to each drop door, rack and gear :mechanism for operating said cranks, and lost-motion devices connecting each crank with said operating means.

4. In a dump car, the combination with a pair of drop doors, of a pair of cranks having opening movement in'opposite directions and each connected to each door, shafts for operating.said cranks,-lost-motion devices interposed in each oflsaid shafts, and rack and gear mechanism operatively connecting said shafts to each other.

5. In a dump car, the combination with a pair of drop doors, of a pair of cranks having opening movement in opposite directions and each connected to each door, shafts for operating said cranks, lost-motion devices interposed in each of said shafts, a rack and gear mechanism for operatively connecting said shafts, to each other, and a common means for operating said shafts.

6. In a dump ear, the combination with a pair of drop doors, a pair of cranks having opening movement in opposite directions, a link extending from each drop door to each crank, shafts for operating said cranks and a main operating shaft operatively connected to each of said crank shafts by rack and gear mechanism.

7. In a dump car, the combination with a pair of drop doors, of a pair of cranks having opening movement in opposite directions, a link extending from each drop door to each crank, shafts for operating said cranks, a main operating shaft operatively connected to each of said crank shafts by rack and gear mechanism, and means for locking said main operating shaft.

8. In a dump cam the combination with a pair of drop doors, ;of pair of cranks having opening movement in opposite directions, a link extending from each drop door to each crank, shafts "for operating said cranks, a main operating shaft extending entirely across the car, a rack and gear mechanism for operatively connecting said main operating shaft and said crank shafts.

9. In a dump car, the combination of a drop door, with a pair of shafts for operating said drop door suitably connected thereto, lost-motion devices in each of said operating shafts, and a rack and gear mechanism operatively connecting said door operating shafts. a

10. In a dump car, the combination of a drop door with a air of shafts for operating said drop oor suitably connected and gear mechanism for operating said shafts simultaneously.

11. In a dump car, the combination with a drop door, of cranks connected thereto for operating said door, trunnions for said cranks, clutch members formed integral with said trunnions, and rack and gear mechanism for operating said clutch members simultaneously.

12. In a dump car, the combination with a drop door, a'pair of oppositely facing cranks and links connecting said cranks and drop door, of a rack and 'gear mechanism so connected to said cranks as to operate same in opposite directions.

13.. In a dump car, the combination with a drop door, a pair of oppositely facing cranks, links connecting said cranks and said door, and a pair of shafts for operating said cranks, of a rack and gear mechanism operatively connected directly to one of said shafts, and a third shaft operatively connected directly to said rack and gear mechanism and the other of said crank operating shafts.

14. In a dump car, the combination with a drop door, a pair of oppositely facing cranks, links connecting said cranks and said door, and a pair of shafts for operating said cranks, of a rack and gear mechanism operatively connected directly to one of said shafts and a third shaft operatively connected to said rack and gear mechanism and the other of said crank operating shafts, said third shaft being adapted at its ends to receive an operating member.

15. In a dump car, the combihation with a pair of drop doors, a pair of cranks each connected to each door and a pair of shafts for operating said cranks, of a third operating shaft directly connected to one of said shafts, and a rack and gear mechanism connecting said third operating shaft to the other of said crank operating shafts- 16. In a dump car, the combination with a pair of drop doors, cranks for operating nected thereto, of rack and gear means for producing a simultaneous opening, movcment of each crank in opposite directions and to multiply the power applied to the operating shaft.

18. In a dump car, the combination with a pair of drop doors, a pair of cranks having opening movement in opposite directions, and each conneoted to each door, shafts for operating said cranks, lost-motion devices interposed in each of said shafts, of a rack and gear means operatively connecting said shafts to each other to produce said opening movement of the cranks in opposite direetions, and to multiply the power applied to the operating shaft.

19. In a dump car, the combination with a pair of drop doors, of an operating shaft, a pair of cranks each connected to each door, shafts for operating said cranks, gear Wheels connecting the operating shaft with one of said crank shafts, and rack and gear means connecting the operating shaft with the ,other of said crank shafts, to produce a rotation of the cranks in opposite directions, and to multiply the power applied to the operating shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. LINDSTROM. Witnesses:

FRANK E. lifILLnn, Lam M. GRUNDER. 

